Reunion Chair Report:

Class of '69's 49th Reunion

May 30 - June 2, 2018

More than 100 classmates and guests came to campus to attend our 49th Reunion. Click here for our 49th Reunion photo album.

The weather forecast had been generally upbeat - until a few days before the beginning of Reunions. As we got closer to the weekend, it started to look like there would be some rain, but it didn’t seem unusual. We began to make contingency plans in the event that it would rain on our outdoor events. After Chuck Freyer (photo, left) and History Professor James McPherson h69 received two of the four Alumni Council Awards for Service to Princeton, many of us settled in for a lively meeting to plan our 50th Reunion next year. We then proceeded to what has become our annual multi-class Friday barbecue in which we participated with the Classes of ’67, ’70 and ’71. Luckily, it didn’t rain. Our event was attended by more than 110 classmates and guests from the four classes, about 50 of whom were from the Class of ’69.

On Saturday, our activities began with our usual Hoagie Lunch in the Class of ’69 Memorial Garden at Murray-Dodge. Again, we were lucky and it did not rain. Over 50 Classmates and guests attended and had a festive time. We then proceeded to our designated P-rade staging area between Nassau Hall and Stanhope Hall and the weather continued to look iffy but acceptable for marching. The P-rade began with the Old Guard marching first, a break from recent tradition but a return to the original P-Rate order of march. They were followed by the 25th Reunion class, the Class of 1993, and the skies were becoming more gray. Several additional classes began their march to Poe field, but as the Class of 1960 started to take its place in line, our luck ran out. Word got out that lightning was within 8 miles of campus. Given the amount of time necessary for about 25,000 people to find appropriate shelter in campus buildings, the P-rade was suspended. The heavens then opened a few minutes later. For a period of a half hour or so, we waited for a further announcement, only to learn that the remainder of the P-rade, including our Class’s march, was cancelled. It was the first time the P-rade was cancelled since 1953.

The rest of the day proceeded normally, as we had our Class Dinner in the Peter B. Lewis Science Library with close to 70 Classmates and guests. A brief Class meeting ensued, during which Chuck Freyer reported on the Class finances and PICS, Paul Sittenfeld reported on the Classmates we lost during the past year and Bruce Freeman discussed the status of Annual Giving. Finally I gave a report on planning for our 50th Reunion next year. The festivities were concluded with a performance by the Tigerlilies. All-in-all it was a most enjoyable evening.

Stay tuned for a flow of information beginning soon about our 50th. Please mark your calendars for May 30 - June 2, 2019. You won’t want to miss being with so many of our Classmates and their families.